September 2010

September 29, 2010

In Sunday's highly anticipated fifth season premiere of Dexter, which garnered big ratings for Showtime, we got to see the aftermath of the Trinity Killer's handiwork from last season's shocking finale.

Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) met his match when he tried to control a monster. The result was tragedy when the monster, Arthur Mitchell (John Lithgow) -- aka the Trinity Killer -- took a terrible vengeance as retaliation for Dexter's interference in his deadly business.

In last night's highly anticipated fifth season premiere of Dexter, which garnered big ratings for Showtime, we got to see the aftermath of the Trinity Killer's handiwork.

September 28, 2010

I don't know what was more startling on last night's Mad Men, Hands and Knees: Don Draper in a full blown panic, worried that his identity had been uncovered and he was facing desertion charges, Lane Pryce (Jared Harris) revealing he's in love with a Negro Playboy bunny (Naturi Naughton), or the moment when Lane's father knocked Lane to the floor with his cane and then stood on his fingers until he got what he wanted.

Actually, it's not even close. When Daddy Dearest knocked Lane to the ground I yelled out loud, it was that shocking and unexpected.

No wonder Lane doesn't ever want to go back to London! WTF?

Evidently Daddy Dearest came through the British public school system where corporal punishment, in his day at least, was the norm.

The other reason Lane doesn't want to go back across the pond is he's in love with Toni, a beautiful Negro Playboy bunny, or as he calls her, his Chocolate Bunny. I dare you to tell me you saw that coming!

Finally, anyone who doesn't believe the accolades for Jon Hamm's work in Mad Men are deserved needs to watch the scene from last night's episode where he goes into a full blown panic attack, thinking federal agents have come to arrest him.

What a performance!

And I actually take back a little of what I said about Betty last week, since this week she covered for Don when she didn't have to. And Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser), yeah he covered for him too, but mark my words, weaselly Pete is gonna make Don pay for that through the nose.

Oh and in other news: Joan was pregnant by Roger and got an abortion, none of the partners but Roger know it yet, but Lucky Strike is ditching Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, which makes the loss of the $4 million from that government contract because of Don's false identity even more serious, and Don took Sally to see the Beatles at Shea Stadium.

After the last few weeks of stellar episodes from Mad Men, little did I think the show could get even better. I'm so glad I was wrong.

September 25, 2010

I watched the pilot of The Event, and I gotta say, I'm ready to see more. The show tries to be a cross between 24 and Lost andeven the first scenes, just like in 24 and Lost, take place on a plane.

Also like Lost, the show flashes back and forth to tell the story. However unlike in Lost, the flashbacks are enough to make your head swim.

Despite that though, the pilot was a success. It was suspenseful, I was interested in the characters and I was tantalized enough to want to know what The Event is.

Here's the plot in a nutshell. In flashbacks we see Sean Walker (Jason Ritter) and his cute girlfriend Leila Buchanan go off on a cruise. A couple of days into the Leila disappears. At the same time of the disappearance, the girlfriend's Dad, played by Scott Patterson (Luke Danes of the Gilmore Girls), Mom and little sister come under attack at their home.

The next thing we know, cruise ship personnel are telling Sean they don't even have he and his girlfriend listed as being on the cruise and Sean has to escape the clutches of the authorities.

Meanwhile, in the present, Sean has pulled a gun and is trying to get into the cockpit of the aforementioned plane. Evidently he wants to stop the pilot.

Also in the present, the President of the United States, a very well preserved Blair Underwood, is having a birthday party for his son at the presidential retreat in Miami, Florida. He's also planning to relase some prisoners--that we know little about--and that his chief of staff, played by the wonderful Zeljko Ivanek (recently of True Blood and Damages fame) totally disagrees with.

The party is broken up when that same plane Sean is trying to turn around starts to head straight for the presidential retreat. A warning goes out and the secret service try to get the president and his family out of there.

September 22, 2010

In the last three weeks, Mad Men has once again shown that when it comes to quality television, the show shines far above almost anything else TV has to offer.

"The Beautiful Girls," "The Summer Man" and "The Suitcase" were all episodes that gave us more about Don Draper, helping answer the question first posed at the beginning of the season, but also showcased the women of Mad Men on the brink of one of the most stunning social changes this country has ever seen.

Here's a rundown of what's been happening with "The Beautiful Girls," but beware, there are spoilers a plenty.

September 16, 2010

This fall's TV season is just about to kick off and with returning shows will come some sensational returning characters. Now I'm not talking about cool characters like Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) or Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) 'cause they're the stars of their shows.

I'm talking about some of the supporting players that make us laugh, make us cry and can steal a scene quicker than you can say "Sue Sylvester."

So here's my list of the ten characters I'm most looking forward to watching this fall:

September 15, 2010

When it comes to polygamy or men with multiple wives, you can put me down solidly on the side of thinking, WTF!?

My feminist hackles rise, my righteous indignation flares and I start to spout off about religions created by men, run by men, and that promote men presiding over multiple women, keeping those women in degradation and oppression.

Yeah, I know that's a little over the top, but I'm giving you my gut here.

So here comes the new TLC reality TV show, Sister Wives which chronicles the lives of Kody Brown and his three wives, Meri, Janelle and Christine, and their thirteen children.

Now tell me, have youever wondered what it would be like to be part of a polygamous marriage? Just think about it, you always have a babysitter handy, there's always someone else to make dinner if you work and she doesn't, and you've got a full time girlfriend on call.

Well those are just some of the things the wives in Sister Wives say is so great about being part of a plural family. In fact Christine, the 3rd wife says, the rule of thumb is if you have two wives and there's tension in the family, marry a third one and that'll fix the problem.

I had a chance to watch a preview of the hour long premiere of Sister Wives and though my feminist hackles got a good work out, I gotta say, Meri, Janelle and Christine came off as quite normal. It's kind of like when I see a wife whose sole idea of marital happiness is taking care of a home and children and never setting foot in a workplace. I know that's not for me, but I respect any woman's right to choose that life for herself.

September 14, 2010

He's bright, he's beautiful and now he's a US Open champion. Rafael Nadal held off the rain and the smashing forehands of Novak Djokovic to win his first US Open title and also make history. By winning, he became only the 7th man to complete a career grand slam and the first in nearly forty years to win three of the grand slams in one calendar year.

Even Djokovic had to sit back and marvel.

It's a remarkable achievement and something no one could have predicted just a couple of years ago when Rafa was winning French Opens left and right but was still considered a clay court player.

Well think again guys, because two years later, with a whole lot of work and a brand new monster serve, Rafa also has two Wimbledons, an Australian and now a US Open under his tennis belt.

As soon as Roger Federer won his first French Open last year, I proclaimed him, along with many others to be the greatest tennis player ever. That's still the case, but Rafael Nadal is now an extremely close second and may surpass Roger if the grand slam numbers add up by the end of what's sure to be an illustrious career for Nadal.

So congratulations to Rafa! I can't wait to see what you pull off next!